Buhari removes Seiyefa, appoints Bichi as DSS DG (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday named Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new Director-General of the Department of State Services. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu. Bichi replaces Matthew Seiyefa, who was appointed by then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, as Acting Director-General of DSS following the sacking of Lawal Daura by Osinbajo on August 7. Read more
APC gov candidate: Tinubu adamant about decision on Ambode (Punch)
There were indications on Thursday that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had yet to back down on his decision to find an alternative to the incumbent governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, in the 2019 governorship election. There had been reports that Ambode was no longer in the good books of Tinubu, which political watchers said might cost him his second term as governor. On Tuesday, two new aspirants emerged under the APC umbrella to vie for the governorship ticket with Ambode, blowing opens the… Read more
Sanwo-Olu sets up 21-man campaign team (Vanguard)
The unfolding move to oust Governor Akinwunmi Ambode from political relevance in Lagos State went a step further yesterday after his key rival, for the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship ticket, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu set up a campaign structure to accentuate his ambition. The move came in the light of disclosures that APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was under tremendous pressure from his political base not to support a second term for Governor Ambode. Read more
Lagos PDP woos Ambode (PMNews)
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said it would welcome Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode into its fold if he decided to dump the All Progressives Congress. (APC). The Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Taofeek Gani, made the assertion in Lagos. Gani spoke following reports that Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner for Training and Establishments in the state, had been adopted by the APC leaders to succeed Ambode. Read more
APC doomed with Buhari as sole candidate, says PDP (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party says the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress has indicated that the ruling party is “irredeemably doomed for a crushing defeat” in the 2019 presidential election. The party pointed out that Buhari’s fear to contest an elective presidential primary, for which he and a few APC leaders allegedly scared away other presidential aspirants with threats and high nomination form fee, had ruined APC’s chance of fielding a good candidate. Read more
Dogara’s defection didn’t come as surprise — APC (Sun)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says that the reported defection of the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, did not come to them as a surprise, accusing him of anti-party activities. Reacting to the reported silent defection, the ruling party quipped that the comment by President Muhammadu Buhari that ‘weakest people whose senses of expectation do not align with our vision have exited our par, aptly sums Dogara’s reported defection. The statement signed by the Ag National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena, read:
Defection fever in Lagos: Over 1000 APC members move to PDP (Sun)
As the gale of defection continues to sweep across the country, over 1000 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at an empowerment programme organized by the member representing Ajeromi/ Ifelodun Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Rita Odichimma Orji. Speaking while receiving the defectors at the playground of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Ajegunle, the lawmaker welcomed the APC members into the PDP fold and assured them of full integration into the activities of the party. Read more
Uncertainty pervades S-East over IPOB’s sit-at-home
Uncertainty yesterday enveloped the entire South East following the sit-at-home threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, today, with many making panic buying and traveling to their villages. IPOB members The Onitsha and Awka main markets witnessed large purchases, especially of food items, while petroleum sellers enjoyed unusual patronage as many people bought fuel in cans and filled their vehicles. Read more
NIS sets up first border patrol base in Katsina (Guardian)
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has established the first patrol base in Mazanya, a border community in Jibia Local Council of Katsina State.The base is one of the five others to be established at strategic and major border communities in Jigawa, Ogun, Kano and Kwara states. The Controller-General of NIS, Dr. Muhammed Babandede, at the commissioning of the Jibia patrol base, said the base would go a long way to check and deter illegal migration.He said the base would also enhance co-ordination and provide operational logistics for border patrol units. Read more
Emefiele cautions against rush into W-African common currency (Vanguard)
Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has called for caution by member countries of the West African Monetary Zone against rushing into a common monetary union and creating a common currency in the sub-region. Mr Godwin Emefiele He spoke at the 37th meeting of the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of the West African Monetary Zone, in Abuja, yesterday. He said: “Our desire for greater economic prosperity for our people through a common monetary union must not vitiate our awareness of the potential adverse and contagion factors associated with unified monetary area and common currency. Read more
Washington State government appoints Nigerian as Judge (Guardian)
A United state governor, Jay Inslee governor of Washington state, has appointed a Nigerian, Edirin Okoloko, to Snohomish County Superior Court. “Edirin has a clear dedication to the legal profession and a successful history of bringing justice to some of our state’s most vulnerable crime victims,” Inslee said. “He will be an excellent addition to the bench in Snohomish County.” Okoloko will replace Judge George Bowden who is retiring. Read more
Loan: China not father Christmas, says Chinese Envoy (PMNews)
The Charge d’ Affaires of China Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Lin Jing, says China is not a Father Christmas, but rather, looking for a win-win partnership with Africa and Nigeria. Jing made this declaration on Thursday in Abuja at a roundtable on the Review Dialogue on the just concluded 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Read more
Public gatherings banned in Zimbabwe capital over cholera (Guardian)
Zimbabwe on Wednesday banned public gatherings in the capital Harare following a cholera outbreak which has claimed at least 21 lives and left hundreds of people ill over the past week. The outbreak, first detected in the township of Glen View outside Harare, has prompted the health ministry to declare an emergency in the city. “In light of the declaration of the state of emergency, the police in Harare will not allow any public gatherings,” police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said in a statement. Read more
CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba can’t afford to toy with Rayon Sport— Mfom
Enyimba Striker, Mfon Udoh has stated that his team must not underrate Rayon Sports of Rwanda when they clash in the quarter-final of the CAF Confederation Cup. Enyimba the only Nigeria club side remaining in intercontinental soccer contest this season have the chance of winning the Confederation Cup after they recorded some breath taking victories in the group stages of the competition. Read more
Weah sets world record with Liberia, Nigeria friendly (Vanguard)
Liberia President George Weah, 51, has become the oldest international on record after playing against Nigeria on Tuesday, according to a leading group of football statisticians. Liberia arranged the Monrovia friendly to retire their number 14 shirt, worn by Weah at his playing peak. “Weah became the oldest player, male or female, to play in the national team of a Fifa member,” said Neil Morrison from the RSSSF group. Read more
Paga gets $10 million financing for expansion, growth (Guardian)
Paga, a mobile money company in Nigeria, said it has closed a $10 million growth financing deal, led by the Global Innovation Fund, with existing investors like Goodwell (managed by Alitheia Capital), Adlevo Capital, Omidyar Network and Unreasonable Capital, participating. The new financing brings the total Paga has raised since inception in 2009 to $35 million, having served nine million customers and created more than 10,000 jobs through its 17,000 agents network, which also hire staff to run their stores. The growth financing will enable Paga further scale its business in Nigeria to drive growth of Paga’s mobile wallet and agent network, and explore expansion opportunities in other markets where similar problems exist. Read more
Governors running after me – Ezeamakam (Ebele the Flutist) (Sun)
She is arguably the first Nigerian professional female flutist – and perhaps Africa as well. And speaking career wise, Ebele’s journey into the world of music, a combination of contemporary and classics, began some eight years ago. Ebele the flutist, as she is fondly called, has become a brand name in her style of music, and she is sought after at big events involving government, corporate, and private. But all these did not come without a sacrifice. She left a good job in the oil and gas sector where she was well paid, to pursue her passion: music. Chocolate skin, elegant, sassy, comely, and lively, Ebele comes across as the woman to behold by that dream man. But she had spent a good part of her youthfulness building a career for herself. And guess what? Her first professional outing was with the sax icon, Mike Aremu. That’s how much of a perfectionist Ebele is – it has to be all or nothing; and she tells you: ‘I give my all in whatever I do, even with the company I worked for.” Read more